**Tragedy Strikes as 20 Die in Gaza Aid Distribution Surge**

**A devastating crowd surge at an aid center in Gaza results in 20 fatalities, raising serious concerns about safety in humanitarian operations.**

In a harrowing event, twenty individuals lost their lives during a frantic crowd surge while attempting to access food aid at a distribution center in Khan Younis, southern Gaza. According to the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), an organization endorsed by the US and Israel, the tragic incidents included 19 people who were trampled and one who was fatally stabbed. The GHF attributed the surge to provocateurs affiliated with Hamas, though the authenticity of this claim has not been verified.

Witness accounts reveal that Nasser Hospital received the remains of 10 individuals who succumbed to suffocation following the closure of the aid center by private security contractors employed by the GHF. Reports of fatalities among Palestinians seeking aid have become a common occurrence since the GHF initiated its operations in late May, with many victims allegedly shot by Israeli forces.

The UN human rights office reported that since the establishment of the GHF's sites in southern and central Gaza, at least 674 killings have been documented in the area over the past six weeks. In addition, another 201 deaths occurred along the routes of UN and other humanitarian convoys. The GHF's leadership has faced criticism, insisting that there have been no deadly incidents at their sites and condemning the UN for utilizing what they describe as inaccurate figures from the Hamas-run health ministry.

In response, the Israeli military acknowledged that civilians have been unintentionally harmed during various incidents and expressed commitment to decreasing tensions between the military and local populations. However, the UN has refused to collaborate with the GHF, labeling their operational methods as unethical. The ongoing Israel-Gaza conflict continues to magnify the vulnerabilities surrounding aid distribution in the region, heightening the stakes for those seeking assistance amidst escalating violence.